Diane's Picture Book Favourites – Page 9

John Canty: Shapes and Colours

Illustrated by the author

Published by Berbay Publishing Pty Ltd, Victoria, 2020

Colours and shapes give meaning and dimension to our world. Teaching young children the differences between colours and identifying them by name, as well as learning what happens when you mix colours together, is one of the many joys of parenting. Encouraging young children to see shapes in the world around them can also help to advance their mathematical and scientific journey of discovery.

All the colours of the rainbow are reflected in our world. In this picture book, we start with the colour red and see a double page spread of silhouetted objects. Your job is to identify them. Some are easy to guess, some a little harder. Turning the page, those same objects are illustrated in glorious detail. A glossy apple, twin cherries, a red balloon, a juicy strawberry and a big red fire engine. Did you match the shapes to the right objects? Can you think of other things that are red?

Orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet hues are illustrated in the following pages and we are encouraged to find those colours in the shapes of objects and animals on the next page and all around us. This picture book is a wonderful resource for parents and teachers. Whilst you are busy playing the guessing game, you are also encouraging the use of language, developing memory skills, and naming and identifying objects by colour and shape.

I can highly recommend this picture book for children 2-4 years and below there are more suggestions for picture books that delve into shapes and colours:

Red House Blue
House Green House
by Jane Godwin
Illustrated by Jane Reiseger

All the Colors I See
by Allegra Agliardi

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature
by Joyce Sidman
Illustrated by Beth Krommes

Spot’s Colours, Shapes and Numbers by Eric Hill

Friendshape by
Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

Watch This!
A book about making shapes
by Jane Godwin
with Beci Orpin and Hilary Walker

Deborah Underwood: Ducks!

Illustrated by T.L.McBeth

Published by Henry Holt and Company, Godwin Books, 2020

We are introduced to a little family of ducks in this simple but clever story by Deborah Underwood. One duck is more adventurous than the rest and gets distracted by a hovering butterfly and wanders off, following the butterfly in a daydream. By the time Duck returns to the pond, the others have disappeared!

There is a moment of shock and surprise, what will Duck do next?

Duck starts looking for clues that might help him find his family and we begin the rollercoaster ride of high hopes and dashed hopes as each new lead proves false.

Duck can hear squawking in the park, could that be his family calling him? No, it’s just a brass band playing.

There are webbed footprints on the path, could that be the footprints of his family? No, it’s just a boy with flippers on his feet.

There are feathers falling from the sky, could they be the feathers of his family? No, some children are having a pillow fight and feathers are flying everywhere.

All these false leads are humorously illustrated, and Duck’s emotions range from optimism to you-have-got-to-be-kidding. There are only two words used in the whole story and they appear as capital letters and express their own emotions! DUCKS? and NO DUCKS! The illustrations use only three colours and this simple combination of text and art works brilliantly together all the way to the happy ending.

I can highly recommend this story for children 2 – 4 years, it is easy to read, easy to understand and can help start a conversation about how it might feel to be lost, relying on yourself when there is a problem and persevering to find solutions in tricky situations.

Below are more picture book recommendations for stories which explore the idea of being lost:

Noni the Pony Rescues a Joey
by Alison Lester

Stick Man by
Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Found. by Jeff Newman
Illustrated by Larry Day

Mark Wilson: Eureka! A Story of the Goldfields

Illustrated by the author

Published by Hachette Australia, 2019

I had a conversation with my daughter this morning about the chance developments of chosen pathways in our lives. She was reflecting on the good fortune of being involved in her current project and having acquired the skills to do it based on all the previous things she had said “yes” to in her life. Being open to new experiences, taking a risk, speaking to a stranger, applying for a new job, moving to a new home, making the most of once-in-a-life-time opportunities all combine to give us a set of skills, a mindset and a will to squeeze the juice out of life and lead us on to paths that we never expected to find ourselves trekking.

Mark Wilson takes us to the goldfields in Ballarat in his latest picture book. I wish I had learnt Australian history this way. It begins with a daughter and father, newly arrived from London, pushing a barrow holding all their meagre belongings, trudging to Ballarat. It had taken 9 months for the ship to make the long journey from England to Australia and now, without wife or mother, they face an uncertain future in a new land. Of course, they are not the first people to arrive and the Ballarat fields stretching out before them are teeming with prospectors, all searching for those elusive nuggets of gold.

A chance encounter with Chen, a young Chinese boy who is about 16 years old, sets the course for their lives. He welcomes them to his camp and offers them their first hot mug of tea. Chen’s bravery is remarkable. He has travelled to Australia on his own to make his fortune so that he can return to China with enough money to bring his family here.

The story goes on to include the racism many Chinese men and women experienced in the 1800s, the hefty fees required to buy mining licences and tools, the police and soldiers harshly enforcing the law, the hardships endured by the prospectors when food and money ran out, and the miners banding together to fight against the licence fees, voting rights and land ownership. History records this as the fight at the Eureka Stockade in 1854, a terrible battle where many more miners died than soldiers and police. It is also the beginning of Peter Lalor’s rise to fame and prominence.

It sounds like a lot to include in a picture book, but Mark Wilson has done it marvellously in words and pictures. The best part is that this story was inspired by the real-life adventures of Catherine Martin and her husband Pan Ah Shin who met on the goldfields of Ballarat. A chance encounter that altered the course of their lives and the lives of those who came after them. There is a wonderful photo of some of their descendants at the back of the book with more information about the Eureka Rebellion.

I can highly recommend this picture book for children 5-10 years, and below I have included other picture books which explore the lives of early settlers and their impact upon the land and the indigenous people they encountered:

My Name is Lizzie Flynn:
A Story of the Rajah Quilt
by Claire Saxby
Illustrated by Lizzy Newcomb

Once by Kate Forsyth
Illustrated by Krista Brennan

Meet…Captain Cook by Rae Murdie Illustrated by Chris Nixon

Meet…Banjo Patterson
by Kristin Weidenbach
Illustrated by
James Gulliver Hancock

Meet…Ned Kelly
by Janeen Brian
Illustrated by Matt Adams

Jandamarra by Mark Greenwood Illustrated by Terry Denton

William Bligh: a stormy story of tempestuous times
by Michael Sedunary
Illustrated by Bern Emmerichs

The Unlikely Story of
Bennelong and Phillip
by Michael Sedunary
Illustrated by Ben Emmerichs

Amazing Australian Women: Twelve Women
Who Shaped History
by Pamela Freeman
Illustrated by Sophie Beer

Kate Gardner: Lovely Beasts, The Surprising Truth

Illustrated by Heidi Smith

Published by Balzer and Bray, HarperCollins Publishers, 2018

There is an old saying that suggests there are two sides to every story. Usually we see one side very clearly. It takes some imagination, humility and empathy to be open to the possibility of seeing and acknowledging the other side.

This picture book gives us the opportunity to recognise and name with one word our first assumption about an animal we think we know. Turning the page, we discover that there is another aspect to their nature that we may not have considered.

Yes, spiders are creepy, but they are also crafty, spinning intricate webs that are simultaneously fragile and strong.

Yes, sharks have mouths full of razor-sharp teeth and inspire awe and fear, but did you know that they are also guardians of the ocean helping to maintain the health and biodiversity of life within its watery depths?

Yes, rhinos look tough and indestructible, but they are also vulnerable because their populations are constantly being threatened by poaching and loss of habitat.

The illustrations in this picture book are gorgeous. Having one black and white image with one word on a double page spread makes a powerful statement about what we assume to be true about that animal. Turning the page to see that same animal in soft colours and with an opposing descriptor is surprising and humbling.

I can highly recommend this picture book for children 4-8 years, it provides a wonderful basis for discussion about the animals depicted and also challenges the biases and assumptions we unwittingly carry and occasionally promote!

Below are more suggestions for picture books that open our eyes to the wonder and contradictions found in the animal world:

The Ugly Five by
Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by
Axel Scheffler

What Do You Do With
a Tail Like This?
by Steve Jenkins
Illustrated by
Robin Page

Yucky Worms by
Vivian French
Illustrated by
Jessica Ahlberg

A Butterfly is Patient
by Dianna Hutts Aston
Illustrated by
Sylvia Long

The Animal Awards
by Martin Jenkins
illustrated by
Tor Freeman

Katrina Germain: Let’s Go Strolling

Illustrated by Danny Snell

Published by Little Book Press, 2018

One of the great pleasures of life is going for a walk. Whether you do it in company or alone, with music or without, in the sunshine or rain, all rugged up with coat and hat or cool and easy in shorts and t-shirt, there is something special about slowing down and following the rhythm of your own footsteps. The minutiae of the things around us call out for our attention as we wander by: blades of green grass, hovering butterflies, waving wattle on sturdy branches, lengthening shadows, busy birds and the different textures of bark on trees. We breathe more deeply and feel more connected to the world around us.

Let’s Go Strolling takes us on a walking expedition following a young dad and his small daughter. There is the wonderful routine of just getting out the door. Check the weather, yes, the sun is out. Shoes, bag, hat, teddy, tick! Into the stroller, out the door, let’s go! There is so much to see and name: a pussy cat, blue letterbox, butterfly, aeroplane, a cloudy sky, traffic lights, a mother duck and her babies.

Two big double page spreads wordlessly announce their arrival in the park and look, there’s mum with the little girl’s older brother. Together they explore the simple wonders of being outside: playing in the sand, swishing through the grass, catching the falling leaves, discovering a spider’s web and bird’s nest, counting rocks and resting quietly with mum. Soon, it’s time to go home and we notice all those things we saw on the way to the park, but this time in reverse!

When you read this story aloud, there is a gentle rhythm and rhyme to the words, much like the rhythm and rhyme of walking! This simple experience makes a great learning experience too. A trip to the park enriches vocabulary, relationship and sensory awareness.

The illustrations are simple and uncluttered, making it easy for young readers to match the text to the picture. And there is green grass everywhere, even on the end pages!

I can highly recommend this picture book for children 2-4 years and below are more suggestions for picture books that explore the joys of walking:

I Went Walking by
Sue Williams
Illustrated by
Julie Vivas

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
by Michael Rosen
Illustrated by
Helen Oxenbury

When We Go Walkabout
by Rhoda Lalara
Illustrated by
Alfred Lalara

Margaret Wild: Pink!

Illustrated by Judith Rossell

Published by Harper Collins Children’s Books, Australia, 2020

A.A.Milne once said, “The things that make me different are the things that make me.”

How hard it is to accept that universal truth! Our differences define us, but they can also keep us separate. The colour of our skin, whether we are very tall or very short, too skinny or too large, too shy or too loud, the language we speak and the land we come from, are just some of the things that can contrive to make us unique. Can we be different and still fit in, can we still be part of the whole and retain our uniqueness?

In this story we are introduced to Pink. She is a small dinosaur, born the colour pink to very green dinosaur parents. Wonderfully, they love her just the same, her colour making no difference, in fact, they believe it makes Pink more beautiful, pretty and sweet.

But as Pink grows, she begins to realise that being pink can have its disadvantages.

Especially when playing hide-and-seek. Everyone can see her because, unlike all the other dinosaurs who are brown or green or blue, Pink cannot hide in the undergrowth of the forest. This makes Pink sad. Her mum has good advice however: “Try being happy with who you are.”

One dark afternoon when Pink is playing with her friends in the forest, they realise they are lost. How will they find their way home? Pink uses her wits and her colour to come up with a plan that will save them all.

I think we all need to be reminded that being who you are, with all your strengths and weaknesses, is part of the wonderful package of you. The things that make you different, also make you unique. There is no one else like you and isn’t that just marvellous?

I can highly recommend this picture book for children 4-8 years and here are more suggestions for stories that explore the idea of individualism and being different:

The Day You Begin by
Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrated by
Rafael Lopez

I Love Me by
Sally Morgan
Illustrated by
Ambelin Kwaymullina

The Smeds and the Smoos
by Julia Donaldson
Illustrated by
Axel Scheffler

Whoever You Are
by Mem Fox
Illustrated by
Leslie Staub

Same, but little bit diff’rent
by Kylie Dunstan

Bob Graham: Ellie’s Dragon

Illustrated by the author

Published by Walker Books, Ltd, 2020

We all need to feel safe and secure. At different times in our lives we lean and rely on close relationships, beloved pets, our favourite food, faith in things unseen and personal belongings to keep us steady and anchored amidst the uncertainties of life. This need can start almost from the moment we are born. Dummies, blankets, soft toys, even our own thumbs can provide much needed comfort.

Sometimes we can even invent an imaginary friend to be with us. In this story, young Ellie finds a newborn dragon on top of a discarded egg carton. It is made up of all the colours of the rainbow and so tiny, the dragon baby fits in the palm of her small hand. Ellie names him Scratch.

The grown-ups cannot see Scratch, but when Ellie goes to kindergarten, some of her friends can see him. As Ellie grows, so does Scratch. When Ellie is about 10 years old, things start to change. Mobile phones, bedroom dancing and skate boarding fill Ellie’s days and Scratch loses some of his substance, fading away more and more, until he is barely noticeable. But one day, Scratch finds himself on the street and noticed by little Sam. Scratch is just what little Sam needs:

‘A fully grown, house-trained, affectionate dragon, just looking for a new home.”

This story reminded me so much of Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter Yarrow, based on the poem by Leonard Lipton (who was only 19 when he wrote it!) and memorably sung by Peter, Paul and Mary. Puff the Magic Dragon is all about Jackie Paper and his imaginary friend Puff. If you can believe Wikipedia, it seems that the original poem had an extra stanza where Puff did find another friend after Jackie Paper grew up…I hope so, it always made me sad to think that Puff was forever friendless and alone inside that cave on Honalee!

Bob Graham’s illustrations for Ellie’s Dragon are gorgeous, full of tiny details about the ordinary trappings of life; shopping aisles, trolleys, doll houses, streets and pavements, flying pigeons, lamplights, bus stops and sneakers. All this blending with the insightful recording of all the wonderful things that we can do together as families and with friends.

I can highly recommend this picture book for children 4-8 years old and below I have included some suggestions about other titles which explore the idea of imaginary friends:

The Girl with the Parrot
on her Head by
Daisy Hirst

Imaginary Fred by
Eoin Colfer
Illustrated by
Oliver Jeffers

Lenny and Lucy by
Philip C. Stead
Illustrated by
Erin E. Stead

The Snow Lion by
Jim Helmore
Illustrated by
Richard Jones

Daisy Hirst: I Like Trains

Illustrated by the author

Published by Walker Books, London, 2020

Trains. They are big and noisy. They come and go. They take us to new places and return us home again. Boom gates announce their arrival and the ding-dong signals tell everyone to keep clear of the tracks. Trains even make a sound that is unique to them as they ride the tracks, chuff, chuff, chuffing along. No wonder trains are fascinating for little ones.

Daisy Hirst has written a wonderfully simple yet comprehensive story about Small Dog and his love of trains. Big text, few words, clean images on a white background all combine to make this a very accessible story for pre-schoolers.

In the story, we see Small dog playing with his own train set, setting up some of his toy animals as passengers as they ride the tracks. Small Dog even imagines himself as a conductor of his own train, made with cardboard boxes. Books teach him more about trains, there are so many different types: freight trains, bullet trains and steam trains.

But best of all is going to the station and riding the train with Mum. Buying the tickets, finding the platform, taking a seat by the window and watching the scenery fly past and arriving finally to see Grandma waiting on the platform.

This a warm, feel good story that encapsulates the wonder of trains with the joy of discovery and the security of family. I can highly recommend it for children 2 -4 years and below there are more suggestions about some of my favourite picture books which feature trains. All aboard!

Mr Nick’s Knitting by
Margaret Wild
Illustrated by
Dee Huxley

The Little Train by
Graham Greene
Illustrated by
Edward Ardizzone

Brenna Maloney: Philomena’s New Glasses

Photographs by Chuck Kennedy

Published by Viking, Penguin Young Readers Group, 2017

A dear friend introduced me to Philomena and her sisters recently, what a cute little trio of guinea pigs! I have shared this story with young readers and much older ones and everyone, without exception, has finished the book with a smile.

My favourite is Nora Jane. She is not the oldest, that’s Philomena. She is not the largest, that’s Audrey. Nora Jane is completely herself, prepared to follow her sisters’ adventures in acquiring glasses, bags and dresses whether she needs all this stuff or not. But enough is enough. Does she really need a bag when her arms are too short to carry one, or glasses when she can see perfectly well without them?

Nora Jane is even prepared to squeeze herself into a dress just like her trendy sisters, but she soon discovers that the dress makes her armpits itch!

There is nothing like a sisterly conversation, sharing the truth, and talking about the things that are really bothering you, to get the problem sorted.

And just when you think the problems are sorted, your sister can still surprise you!

The final page is very cleverly staged and convinces me that Nora Jane is one sassy, unique and endearing character.

Chuck Kennedy has done a remarkable job getting these real-life guinea pigs to pose for photo shoots. It was also comforting to read that:

“No stunt doubles were used in the making of this book. Each guinea pig performed her own stunts, including hefty purse lifting, snug dress wearing, and even extensive kale eating.”

I can highly recommend this book for children 2-8 years and up to 88 years, my mother was giggling all the way through her first read. Below are more suggestions for further reading about the joys and tribulations of having a sister:

The Seven Chinese Sisters
by Kathy Tucker
Illustrated by
Grace Lin

The Proudest Blue by
Ibtihaj Muhammad
with S.K.Ali
Illustrated by
Hatem Aly

I’ll Always Be Older Than You
by Jane Godwin
Illustrated by
Sara Acton

Whatever Happened to
My Sister by
Simona Ciraolo

Elizabeth Honey: That’s not a daffodil!

Illustrated by the author

Published by Allen and Unwin, NSW, 2011

Daffodils are the great heralders of spring. Like soft, yellow, downy chickens they speak of new life and hope. How something so colourful and beautiful can grow from an unassuming flaky brown bulb is one of the wonderful mysteries of life.

When Mr Yilmaz from next door gives young Tom his very first daffodil bulb, Tom thinks it is an onion. From a certain point of view, he could be quite right.

With the daffodil in the pot, every stage of its growth can be witnessed. For a long time, nothing happens. Tom is uncertain that anything will happen. With water and a bit of sunshine, a small green shoot eventually appears. To Tom, it resembles a green beak. As it grows, it starts to look more like a hand with five fingers waving in the breeze. After a few more weeks, it appears like a yellow streetlight. After months of waiting, a glorious golden yellow trumpet finally emerges.

There are so many lessons to take away from this simple story.

There is the constant friendship of Mr Yilmaz next door. He gives the gift of patience and steadfastness to young Tom when he hands over the daffodil. Patience for waiting; it takes time to grow something. Steadfastness in friendship; being there in times of doubt and growth.

There is the idea that what you and I see when we look at same thing together will not always be the same. Mr Yilmaz saw a bulb, young Tom saw an onion. Sometimes it is a gift to share a tried and true experience with someone who has never had it. Your perspective can be altered and enriched by someone else’s point of view.

There is the idea of nurturing. Plants grow with earth, water, light and time. People grow with love, encouragement and friendship. But we also need the earth, water, light and time. These are wonderful truths for young readers to contemplate.

I highly recommend this picture book for children 3-8 years.

For further reading I have chosen titles that explore the concept of perception, seeing a part of something and seeing the whole of something can make a world of difference!